Plant protector



NOV. 18, 1952 E A, F|TZPATR|CK 2,618,102

PLANT PROTECTOR Filed Jan. 16, 1948 15o 'BY 14 7 TORNE V5 Patented Nov.18, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE j PLANT-PROTECTOR EarlA,Fitzpatrick, Northville, Mich.

.'ApplicationJanuai-y 16, 1948., Serial No. 2,590

7 Claims. Y,1

.invention v.relates toga device for protect- 1ng;.plants;,and trees andparticularly to .aguard for;.preyent ing. .dog nuisanoesaroimdvevergreens and:V the like.

'.An .important object of g; this; invention is=1to movido.l a;plantor... ,tree protector: composed.: .of parts which `are ,inexpensivetofmanufaeture .and assembleand which when installed at: the` base offfa.plant .or;;tree. Yis .practically invisible... yet highly; efectiveinkeeping :.dogswawavirom. .the tree. .Anotherimportant obj ect of thisinvention is '.to .provide a; device.` ,of thislcharacterzhaving.certain parts :thereof ,formed i ,off .bendable material sothat.the-guardmay beshppedand handledH 1in.. relatively anat .condition and.when instal-led: maybe. bent tol the desired v`.curvature around. the.base .of...a,p1ant or.tre.e. ,..Akiurther important `.object ...ofthe*inventionf Vis to. pro vide aY lguard ofthisv .character composed.vpractically entirelyof .wire members v.secured together .in anovel.,-manner .so.;,that .short .barbs .areV formed and:A arranged atdifferent.. levels ,for ,preventing azdogorotherv animal from too.closely approach. ing;..an evergreenorsimilar plant. A;still further.important.objectofxthisinventionis. to .providea guard of. thischaracter. which: -issafey to use and is sci constructedithat vthebarbswill only penetrate .a short .v distance .if .by vany chancesomeone or .any animal falls orlunges thereupon.

-In carrying out 'theA invention, ,twobendable Wire members areconnectedtogether `in spaced parallelnrelationship by afpluralityofcross-membersxwhich .arci so. y arranged inanovel 4manner to. formlaterally .projectingbarbs .of .relatively short1 length. .Thecrosspinembers. .each .com-fv prise a pairof Aprongsconverginglyinclinedwith respect .to one another. andl having theirinner ends-separately secured to the two bendable; membersI and theirouter ends secured to one another in vsuch. a manner to form abarbof acharacter like those vcommonly used on fences-and vthe like. Associatedwith the'guard are two anchor membersof novel constructionwhich areadapted tor support the` -twoy parallel' .bendable wires vin elevatedposition Aabove thevground and .in hori-- zontal arcuate formation faround the .base ofV a plant-or tree.

Various other objects,v advantages,. andmeritorions-features will becomemore fully ,apparent tromthe following specification, appended .claimsand accompanying drawings;.wl1ereinz Fig. lis aside .elevationv of anevergreen showing :one ofthe guards of :this inventionerected around.the-.base athereof,

Fiera is-.atonplanviem of .a guard .device -of 2 this invention-bent insemi-circular formation preparatory to being anchored` around the-,baseof an evergreenor similar plant,

Fig. 3 is a side elevationof vthemguard of'this invention shown priorytobeing bentinto; arcuate formation,

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-,sectional .view ,taken alonglineAP-l of Fig.3,

- Fig. 5 is a Verticalsectionalviewtaken along line-5v5, Y

Fig. 6 isa vertical sectional view similar Ito Figs. 4 and 5villustrating.amodication v,of,.1.he invention*v ,toA provide complete.col1apsing .of..;the wire members thereoftogethen and Fig. 7 .isA asideelevation .of the guarddevice of Fig. 6.

In .the illustrated .embodiment of .the .invention the guard comprises.two spaced; parallel., mem-v bers I0 and Il .which .in proper assembled,position around a plantor tree extend horizontally. and in spacedparallel relationship to vone. .anE other. .As indicated in Fig. 3, wirememberj forms the upper horizontal member ofthe guard Whereas wiremember Il `formsthe lower-meme' ber. At each end .of these members`there dapro-.- vided an anchoring rod. l2 .Which.is,adapted-. t0supportthe horizontal .members lll-el I, in elevated position abovetheground andin superimposed relationship to. oneanother. Extend-- irlgbetween the horizontal members IU--II are cross memberseach formed ofapairofviprongs connected together adjacent to4 their outer extremitiesand at therinner ,ends to themembers I 0-l l. YEach. .pair of .prongs issimilar .to...the others and the reference numerals. applied -.thereto.correspond to. al1 the others in the guarddeyice. One prong of eachcross member assembly. is indicated .at I4 and as shown in Figs. 4 and5,is of shorter length than `the other prongmember. The other prongmember of each crossmember assembly is `indicated at yI6 and theyarelntially madewitha slightly greater length than the prongs. I4. Theprongs are relatively stiiand may be sections of #ligauge wire.

The .prongmembers I4 and .I6 are .securedto the top rand bottomhorizontal .members Vlil-.ll in alternately` staggered relationship, to.,one .an other .so that one prong member, suchaolis secured alternatelyto the top member .l and .then to the bottom member Il asshown;whi.1ethe other prong member l0, is disposed opposite .the prongI4 `with which. it isl paired. YThe-` prong members I4. and.`Iliproject. outwardly; laterally of the pla-n of the twohorizontaltmembers -l 0.-I'l l and in converging: `angular relationship-tofone another as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Adjacent to their outerextremities each pair of prong members cross one another and are rigidlysecured together at their crossing point by spot welding or othersuitable means. For example, in Figs. 4 and 5, the prong members of eachpair cross one another at I8 short of their outer extremities to form abarb 20. The outer extremities may be sharpened as shown as is customaryin barbs of this character on fences and the like. The inner ends ofeach prong member I4 and I6 are rigidly secured by spot Welding or thelike to the top and bottom members III-II in the manner shown in Figs. 4and 5. The rigid spot Welding connections of these bars I4 and I6 to oneanother at their crossing point I8 and to the top and bottom membersI--II predispose the latter in spaced parallel relationship.

The vertical rod members I2-I2 herein above referred to are formed ofWire members of relatively thickv dimension such as #9 gauge wires. Forthe purpose of removably securing these vertical rods to the ends of thehorizontal members III-II, the latter are bent or looped at ytheir outerextremities to form eyes 22 through which the rods may slide. Carried onthe rods I2-I2 are two abutments which may be formed of short lengths ofwires rigidly secured thereto by spot welding or otherwise. One shortWire member of this character is indicated at 24 relatively close to thelower end of the rod I2. memberof this character is indicated at 2B andas shown is located in spaced relationship above the abutment 24. Thislast abutment 26 serves as a' rest up'on which the bottom wire I I maybear as indicated in Fig. 3. The lower abutment 24 serves as a stopelement limiting the penetration of the rod into the ground as shown inFig. 1.

There may be Welded or otherwise secured to the upper end of eachvertical rod I2 a short length of a bendable wire section 28 which afterthe guard is assembled may be bent as shown in Fig. 3 to preventaccidental disassembly. Initially, the short bendable wire sections 28extend straight up in substantial alignment with the rods I2, but oncethe guarding device has been assembled thereon they may be bent as shownto lock the device against removal. y

vAspreviously mentioned the horizontal members IU-'-II of the device areformed of bendable wire material. These members are preferably #12,gaugewire and soft annealed so that When the device is installed around anevergreen or othery plants or tree they are capable of being readilybent by manual force into desired arcuateformation such as that shown inFig. 2. Thus two or more of these guarding device members are assembledaround the base of a tree and depending upon the size of a'tree may bebent into semi-circular formation shown in Fig. 2 or into greater orlesser arcs. After the guarding device has been bent into the desiredarcuate formation, which causes the pairs of prong members I4 and I6 todiverge away from one another, the vertical rods I2-I2 are forced intothe ground to anchor the device. The abutments 24 on each anchoring rodI2 serve to limit the penetration thereof into the ground so that theguarding device is supporting in elevated position above the ground.

In the manufacture of the guarding device the prong members I4 and ISare cut to the desired lengths. For example the shorter prong members I4may be 6" long and the longer prong member I6 may be '7 long. Byalternating connecting The other shortv Cil the rods I4 and I6 of eachpair of cross members to the horizontal members I-I I, the barb endsthereof are disposed in staggered or zigzag relationship on twodifferent levels in the manner shown in Fig. 3. This forms a moreeffective protector preventing any size of dog from approaching tooclose to the base of the tree.

In the modification of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, theconverging pairs of wire sections forrnng the barbs are so connected toone another and the horizontal members that the device may be collapsedlat for shipment and handling prior to installation around a tree.Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, the modified form of device comprises twohorizontal wire members 3D and 3| corresponding respectively to themembers I0 and I I previously described and two vertical anchoring rods32-32 corresponding to the rods I2-I2 of the earlier describedembodiment of the invention. Pivotally connected to the horizontal wiremembers and projecting laterally from one side thereof are a pluralityof converging pairs of wire sections 34-34. These wire sections are ofthe same length as one-another and each pair crosses one anotheradjacent to but short of their extremities to form the barb 36'. Av

third horizontal wire member 38 parallels the members 3i? and 3ladjacent to the outer ends of the converging pairs of wire sections34-34 and forms pivotal support therefor. member 38 is made slightlylonger 'in length than the Wire members 30 and 3| as 'shown in Fig. 7in' order that When the three wire members are arcuately bent around atree they may traverse approximately the same angular distance. Eachwire section 34 is pivotally connected at its outer! extremity to thehorizontal member 38 preferably by forming a loop 40 which encircles themember 33 as shown in Fig. 6. The inner diverging end of each Wiremember is preferably similarlyA looped as at 42 for pivotal connectionto either the horizontal wire member 3U or 3| as the case may be. Byvirtue of these pivotal connections, it is possible to collapse the tWoWire sections 34-34 together and bring the two horizontal members 30 and3l in side by side relation to form a flat assembly for shipment andhandling.

The opposite ends of the horizontal Wire members 3U and 3I are looped asat 44 to form eyes for receiving the anchoring rods 32-32 in a mannerlike that shown at 22 in the previously de-A scribed embodiment of theinvention. Each rodV 32 may be flattened or pinched intermediate itsends as at 46 to provide an abutment largerin size than the eyes 44 uponwhich the lower horizontal member 3l may rest as shown in Fig. 6g Theupper end of each anchoring rod vmay bei provided with a short extensionof narrower bendable wire material similar to the wiresec-v. tion 28 ofthe previously described modification` in order to bend the same aroundthe upper wire it readily bendable for this purpose.

facilitate the insertion of the eyes144 therethrough, after which theflattened section or eX-: tension is bent over to hold the upper wirememe.

ber against sliding movement on the rod.

When assembling this modication, the horizontal wire members 30 and. 3|are first pulled apart the desired distance'thus pivoting the wire.sections 34-34 on the third horizontal member The third Wire 38Z andopening the prongs of the barb 38. Thereafter-they anchoring rods areslid throughthe eyes 44 bringing the abutment 40 up against the eye'o'fthe lower wire member 3l and upon bendingl the v'upper'fend of theanchoring rods around the upper member 30 the assembly is maintained inrelatively rigid condition. The horizontal wire members may be curved tothe desired arcuate formation either before'orV after the anchoring rodsare assembled.. The anchoring -rods 32-32 may have short transverse wiresections ,150 adjacent to ltheir lower .ends to limitpenetration intothe ground'and 'thereby support the guard device'atthe proper height.

-As a result of this invention there has been provided a plant protectorformed wholely of wire sectionsand which-,inoperating position providesan velective yet lsale guard for the purpose designed. The end sharpenedprongs or wire sections l4, IG and 34-34 cooperate in a novel manner toform barbs at their outer extremities, and the crossing relation ofthese wire members to one another prevent any deep penetration in theevent the body of an animal or man should strike the same. In use thehorizontal wire members I0, Il, 30 and 3| and the anchoring rods areusually concealed within the foliage of the plant or three. Only theouter ends of the prong members may be visible and since the guarddevice may be painted green the exposed ends are inconspicuous.

What I claim is:

1. A protector for shrubbery and the like comprising, a pair of wiremembers, a set of prongs associated with each wire member and securedthereto in longitudinally spaced apart relationship, each set of prongsprojecting from one side of their respective wire member andconvergingly toward the other set of prongs, the outer end portions ofsaid prongs crossing one another short of their extremities and beingrigidly secured together at said crossing point so as to support thewire members in substantially parallel spaced apart relationship to oneanother, said wire rmembers being formed of bendable metal material andcapable of being bent into corresponding arcuate formations todivergingly project each pair of secured prongs from one another.

2. A shrub protector comprising, in combination, a pair of wire membersof bendable material each being looped at its opposite ends to form aneye, a set of prongs of like number connected to each wire member andprojecting outwardly laterally from one side thereof, each prong of oneset being so angularly related to a prong of the other set that theirouter end portions cross one another short of their extremities andbeing rigidly connected together at said crossing point to supportinglysecure the wire members in substantially parallel spaced apartrelationship to one another, the outer extremities of each pair ofconnected prongs beyond the: crossing point thereof being sharpened toform barb, and a ground anchoring rod for each end of said pair of wiremembers removably fitting the eyes thereof and means on each anchoringrod for supporting the Wire members in elevated horizontal positionabove the ground and in substantially parallel superimposed relation toone another.

3. A guard for protecting evergreens and the like comprising, incombination, a pair of wire members of bendable material, a set ofprongs of like number connected to each wire member in longitudinallyvspaced apart relation and projectdispose Vthe -barbs in alternately'staggered rela-v tionship from one end of -the two sets' ofprongs tothe other end thereof.l

4. A guard for protecting -evergreens and thelike comprising, incombination,l a pair of, bendable wire members each Abeing looped'at-itsv-jopposite ends to form an eye, a set ofl prongsol. like numberconnected to each wire'memb'er-.and projecting outwardly' laterally fromone side thereof,- -each prong of one-set being disposedl 'op-l posite:a prongof Lthe otherfs'et 'and so- 'angular-ly' related to one anotherthat their outer end portions contactually cross one another short oftheir extremities to form a barb, one prong of each crossing pair ofprongs being slightly longer than the other prong and alternatelyconnected to one or the other of said wire members so as to dispose thebarbs formed by each pair of prongs at different alternately staggeredlevels on the guard, and a ground anchoring rod slidably receivablethrough the eyes at each end of said wire members and provided withmeans thereon for supporting the wire members in elevated substantiallyhorizontal position above the ground and in vertically spaced apartrelationship to on another. 5. A protector for shrubberyl and the likecomprising, in combination, a pair of wire members, a vertical groundanchoring rod for each end of said pair of wire members for supportingthe wire members in elevated position above the ground and in spacedparallel relationship one above the other, a set of prongs connected tothe upper Wire member in longitudinally spaced apart relationshiptherealong and extending outwardly laterally from one side thereof at adownward inclination, a corresponding set of prongs connected to thelower wire member in the same longitudinal spaced apart relationshiptherealong as the prongs of the upper wire member and extendingoutwardly laterally from the same side as the prongs of the upper wiremember but at an upward inclination, the outer end portions of eachcorresponding pair of prongs substantially contactually crossing oneanother short of their respective extremities, the outer extremities ofeach pair of connected prongs beyond the crossing point thereof beingsharpened to form a barb, said wire members being formed of bendablemetal material and capable of being bent into corresponding arcuateformations about a vertical axis located on the side of the wire membersopposite to that from which the prongs extend to divergingly projecteach pair of connected prongs from one another.

6. A protector for shrubbery and the like comprising, in combination, apair of bendable wire members, a vertical ground anchoring rod for eachend of said pair of wire members for supporting the same in elevatedposition above the ground and in spaced parallel relation one above theother, a set of prongs rigidly connected to the upper member inlongitudinal spaced apart relation therealong and projecting outwardlylaterally from one side thereof at a downward inclination, acorresponding set of prongs rigidly connected to the lower wire memberin the same longitudinal spaced apart relationship as theprongs of theupper wire member andpro-v jecting laterally therefrom at an upwardinclination, theouter end portions of each correspondingpair of prongscarried by said wire members crossing one another short of theirvextremities to form a barb, means rigidly connecting each correspondingpair of prongs at their crossing point, the crossing points of thecorresponding pairs of prongs being staggered so as to dispose the barbsat, alternately higher and lower levels relative to the ground.

7. A protector for shrubbery and the prising a pair of wire members, aset of prongs associated with eachv Wire member and secured thereto inlongitudinally spaced apart relationship, each prong of one set beingdisposed substantially opposite a companion prong of the other set, saidsets of prongs projecting from the same like com-- REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the iile of this patent: n y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 186,716 Decker Jan. 30, 1877339,823 Taggart Apr. 13, 1886 494,325 Curtis Mar. 28, 1893 1,901,700Carpenter Mar. 14, 1933

